Miss Coco Murray

Collette “Coco” Murray is a dance educator, cultural arts programmer, mentor and arts consultant. This award-winning artist was one of 100 Accomplished Black Canadian Women honourees in 2020 and the 2019 Toronto Arts Foundation’s Community Arts Award winner and Canadian Danse Assembly's 2013 I love Community Award winner. Murray pursues a PhD in Dance Studies and holds a Master of Education, and Honours BA in Race, Ethnicity and Indigeneity from York University and a BA in Sociology from University of Toronto. Currently her doctoral work focuses on dance education in the Canadian Afro-diasporic dance sector archive and anti-racist dance pedagogies. Along with Miss Coco Murray, her mobile, dance education business [www.misscocomurray.com], Murray is published in dance media and academic journals. Additionally, Murray is Artistic Director of Coco Collective offering culturally responsive projects connecting participants, organizations, and schools to African and Caribbean arts. Murray is Vice Chair of Dance Umbrella of Ontario's board and serves as Board member of Arts Etobicoke and the National Board of Canadian Danse Assembly offering an equity, diversity and inclusion lens. Murray's performance experiences include Caribbean folklore and West African dance styles, along with curating and advocating for spaces that amplify Black arts and dance styles.